Edwin Sifuna and allies bring Kitengela to a standstill amid ODM tensions

 Edwin Sifuna, the Nairobi Senator and embattled Secretary General of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), has indeed brought significant activity and attention to Kitengela on February 15, 2026, amid heightened internal tensions within the party.

Sifuna was recently removed as ODM Secretary General by the party's National Executive Committee (NEC), a move he has challenged legally at the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal which issued a suspension on his ouster pending determination. 

He maintains he remains the legitimate SG and has framed the situation as part of broader political maneuvering, possibly linked to ODM's controversial broad-based government arrangement with President William Ruto's administration.

In defiance, Sifuna launched the "Linda Mwananchi Tour" (Protect the Citizen Tour), a series of grassroots rallies. 

After an initial event in Busia County, the tour moved to Kitengela in Kajiado County. He was joined by prominent allies including: Siaya Governor James Orengo, Embakasi East MP Babu Owino, Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi and possibly other key leaders.

Reports describe massive crowds turning out, with supporters flooding streets and venues, creating heavy human and vehicular traffic in Kitengela Town. 

Chants like “Sifuna Usilale” (Sifuna, don't sleep) and “Wantam!” echoed as the team arrived, with some describing the scene as electrifying and the area "on fire" (kimewaka moto). 

Activities included a church service earlier in the day followed by the main rally, where Sifuna criticized President Ruto's leadership, vowed continued opposition to government policies, and honored the legacy of the late Raila Odinga (ODM's founder).

The phrase "brings Kitengela to a standstill" captures the disruptive scale of the event—thousands of enthusiastic supporters caused significant disruption to normal movement in the town, as warned in local updates about traffic and crowds. 

This is part of escalating factionalism in ODM: Sifuna's group (often called the "Linda Mwananchi" or rebel faction, evoking 1990s Young Turks spirit) positions itself as defending the party's original ideals against perceived compromises, while opposing factions aligned with Oburu Odinga.

The rally serves as a show of strength post-ouster, mobilizing grassroots support and intensifying pressure on both the government and internal party rivals. Tensions remain high, with Sifuna refusing to back down and promising more events in the tour.